Oysters are a key part of the Lowcountry lifestyle. Just ask the folks over at Sea Eagle Market in Beaufort.

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"Oysters are our thing. When you come to the south, if you have friends that are from up north, you want to show them an oyster roast because that’s what we like to eat," said Melena Argetsinger, whose family owns Sea Eagle Market.

But now, there’s a limited supply. Hurricane Matthew left oyster beds throughout South Carolina closed as state health officials work to test water quality.

This week, the Department of Health and Environmental Control reopened some oyster zones.

"That would be any culture bottoms, so anybody that pays for these grounds and takes care of them every year can harvest those oysters and clams, but it’s only that specific area," Argetsinger said.

The Department of Natural Resources has not yet reopened state oyster beds.

"Most of our grounds are state grounds or are culture bottoms that are not in that area yet," Argetsinger said.

Sea Eagle Market has taken a financial hit, but those impacted most by the closures are the oystermen like Vince Chapman, who says he’s losing at least $100 a day.

"Financially it means a lot, but I mean you got to take it how it comes. Thank god for the day," Chapman said.

He’s got a good attitude for a man whose livelihood is suffering.

"Really truly is the worst season I’ve been in," Chapman said.

WEBVTT
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SOUTH CAROLINA HEALTH
OFFICIALS HAVE REOPENED áSOMEá
OF BEAUFORT COUNTY'S OYSTER
BEDS ...BUT, LOCAL HARVESTERS
ARE SAYING THEIR LIVELIHOODS
CONTINUE TO SUFFER IN THE WAKE
OF HURRICANE MATTHEW.WJCL'S
TORI SIMKOVIC IS LIVE ALONG
THE MAY RIVER WITH DETAILS.
TORI?
3
EXCESS RAIN AND RUNOFF FROM
HURRICANE MATTHEW HAS LEFT
OYSTER BEDS THROUGHOUT SOUTH
CAROLINA CLOSED...WHILE STATE
HEALTH OFFICIALS TEST THE
QUALITY OF THE WATER.THAT'S
LEFT THOSE WHO MAKE THEIR
LIVING OFF THE SEA STRUGGLING
FINANCIALLY.OYSTERS ARE A PART
OF THE LOWCOUNTRY LIFESTYLE.
JUST ASK THE FOLKS OVER AT SEA
EAGLE MARKET IN BEAUFORT.
OYSTERS ARE OUR THING.AND WHEN
YOU COME TO THE SOUTH, WHEN
YOU HAVE FRIENDS THAT ARE FROM
UP NORTH, YOU WANT TO SHOW
THEM AN OYSTER ROAST BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO EAT.
BUT-- THERE'S A LIMITED
SUPPLY- WITH HURRICANE MATTHEW
LEAVING OYSTER BEDS CLOSED
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.THIS
WEEK, SOUTH CAROLINA HEALTH
OFFICIALS REOPENED áSOMEá
OYSTER BEDS.THAT WOULD BE ANY
CULTURE BOTTOMS, SO ANYBODY
THAT PAYS FOR THESE GROUNDS
AND TAKES CARE OF THEM EVERY
YEAR CAN HARVEST THOSE OYSTERS
AND CLAMS BUT IT'S ONLY THAT
SPECIFIC AREA.THE DEPARTMENT
OF NATURAL RESOURCES HAS áNOTá
YET REOPENED STATE OYSTER BEDS.
MOST OF OUR GROUNDS ARE STATE
GROUNDS OR ARE CULTURE BOTTOMS
THAT ARE NOT IN THAT AREA YET.
SEA EAGLE MARKET HAS TAKEN A
FINANCIAL HIT ...BUT THOSE
IMPACTED THE MOST FROM THE
CLOSURES ARE THE OYSTERMEN
LIKE VINCE CHAPMAN...WHO SAYS
HE'S LOSING AT LEAST $100 A
DAY.FINANCIALLY IT MEANS A LOT
BUT I MEAN YOU GOT TO TAKE IT
HOW IT COMES, THANK GOD FOR
THE DAY.A GOOD ATTITUDE FOR A
MAN WHOSE LIVELIHOOD IS
SUFFERING.TORI: IS THIS THE
WORST SEASON YOU'VE SEEN?
CHAPMAN: YES, YES IT IS MA'AM,
REALLY TRULY IS THE WORST
SEASON I'VE BEEN IN
3
3
INSEASON I'VE BEEN THE WORST
REALLY TRULY IS
3
THE WORST SEASON I'VE BEEN IN
3
THE DNR SAYS THEY HOPETO
REOPEN STATE OYSTER BEDS BY
NOVEMBER 1ST.REPORTING LIVE IN
BLUFFTON TORI SIMKOVIC WJCL 22
NEWS.